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The Secret Countess: A witty, romantic Cinderella story set in 1919
'Her books are utterly delightful' – Daily Mail
'Radiant and comforting' – The TLS
Award-winner Eva Ibbotson's The Secret Countess, author of The Morning Gift, is a classic historical romance that stretches across countries, families and class divides.
After revolution tears her country apart, young Russian countess Anna Grazinsky is forced to flee Saint Petersburg for rural England, where her now penniless family has no choice but to rely on the kindness of their only friend, Anna's old governess. Determined to help her family in any way possible, Anna arms herself with an out-of-date book on housekeeping and takes work as a servant at a crumbling mansion in the English countryside.
1919 sees Rupert, the handsome young Earl of Westerholme, return from war and become instantly mesmerized by Anna. As powerful attraction clashes with tradition, Anna finds concealing her true identity increasingly impossible.
'Radiant and comforting' – The TLS
Award-winner Eva Ibbotson's The Secret Countess, author of The Morning Gift, is a classic historical romance that stretches across countries, families and class divides.
After revolution tears her country apart, young Russian countess Anna Grazinsky is forced to flee Saint Petersburg for rural England, where her now penniless family has no choice but to rely on the kindness of their only friend, Anna's old governess. Determined to help her family in any way possible, Anna arms herself with an out-of-date book on housekeeping and takes work as a servant at a crumbling mansion in the English countryside.
1919 sees Rupert, the handsome young Earl of Westerholme, return from war and become instantly mesmerized by Anna. As powerful attraction clashes with tradition, Anna finds concealing her true identity increasingly impossible.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Eva Ibbotson
83 books2,372 followersEva Ibbotson (Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner) was a novelist specializing in romance and children's fantasy.
She was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. When Hitler appeared, her family moved to England. She attended Bedford College, graduating in 1945; Cambridge University from 1946-47; and the University of Durham, graduating with a diploma in education in 1965. Eva had intended to be a physiologist but was put off by animal testing. Instead, she married and raised a family, returning to school to become a teacher in the 1960s. They have three sons and a daughter.
Eva began writing with the television drama “Linda Came Today” in 1965. Ten years later, she published her first novel, “The Great Ghost Rescue”. Eva has written numerous books including “The Secret Of Platform 13”, “Journey To The River Sea”, “Which Witch?”, “Island Of The Aunts”, and “Dial-A-Ghost”. She won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for “Journey To The River Sea” and has been a runner up for many of major awards for British children's literature.
Her books are imaginative and humorous and most of them feature magical creatures and places, despite that she disliked thinking about them. She created the characters because she wanted to decrease her readers' fear of such things.
Some of the books, particularly “Journey To The River Sea”, reflect Eva's love of nature. Eva wrote this book in honour of her husband (who had died before), a naturalist. The book had been in her head for years.
Eva said she dislikes "financial greed and a lust for power" and often creates antagonists in her books who have these characteristics. Some have been struck by the similarity of “Platform 9 3/4” in J.K. Rowling's books to Eva's “The Secret Of Platform 13”, which came out three years before the first Harry Potter book.
Her love of Austria is evident in works such as “The Star Of Kazan” and “A Song For Summer”. These books, set in the Austrian countryside, display the author's love for all things natural.
She was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. When Hitler appeared, her family moved to England. She attended Bedford College, graduating in 1945; Cambridge University from 1946-47; and the University of Durham, graduating with a diploma in education in 1965. Eva had intended to be a physiologist but was put off by animal testing. Instead, she married and raised a family, returning to school to become a teacher in the 1960s. They have three sons and a daughter.
Eva began writing with the television drama “Linda Came Today” in 1965. Ten years later, she published her first novel, “The Great Ghost Rescue”. Eva has written numerous books including “The Secret Of Platform 13”, “Journey To The River Sea”, “Which Witch?”, “Island Of The Aunts”, and “Dial-A-Ghost”. She won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for “Journey To The River Sea” and has been a runner up for many of major awards for British children's literature.
Her books are imaginative and humorous and most of them feature magical creatures and places, despite that she disliked thinking about them. She created the characters because she wanted to decrease her readers' fear of such things.
Some of the books, particularly “Journey To The River Sea”, reflect Eva's love of nature. Eva wrote this book in honour of her husband (who had died before), a naturalist. The book had been in her head for years.
Eva said she dislikes "financial greed and a lust for power" and often creates antagonists in her books who have these characteristics. Some have been struck by the similarity of “Platform 9 3/4” in J.K. Rowling's books to Eva's “The Secret Of Platform 13”, which came out three years before the first Harry Potter book.
Her love of Austria is evident in works such as “The Star Of Kazan” and “A Song For Summer”. These books, set in the Austrian countryside, display the author's love for all things natural.
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